


Her and Her

by readwriteandavengers



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Anxiety Attacks, Cisco's hurt he wasn't told, F/F, First Kiss, Light-Hearted, Secret Relationship, dccwrarepairswap
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-01
Updated: 2017-07-01
Packaged: 2018-11-22 02:11:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,250
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11370423
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/readwriteandavengers/pseuds/readwriteandavengers
Summary: Caitlin and Iris start dating, and may or may not withhold it from everyone else.





	Her and Her

**Author's Note:**

  * For [darringtons](https://archiveofourown.org/users/darringtons/gifts).



> Hello! This is gifted to leviarty here on ao3! I hope you enjoy it!

_When Caitlin and Iris kiss for the first time, it’s after a mission that has Caitlin’s heart racing and her mind numb._

The adrenaline is coursing through her veins like pure, red hot energy, and she needs to find solace before she explodes. Really, Caitlin has no idea how she would have ‘exploded.’ Maybe she would have snapped at Cisco, or Barry. Her emotions are so erratic right now she could very well burst into tears.

So she takes the smart route and heads out of the cortex, down the hall, and to a separate room. A room that’s so quiet it rings in her ears, which is a very welcome change. Caitlin shuts the door tightly behind her, finally taking a moment to press her back against the cool metal and _breathe_.

She inhales through her nose, nice and slow, and then exhales past her lips. She repeats, again and again, until she feels her heartbeat slow and her mind clear. Although she’s feeling better, she doesn’t have any plans of returning to the cortex for at least another half hour.

She pushes herself off the door, her heels clacking against the hard linoleum with every step she takes. She heads right for the chair on the other end of the room, paired with one other roller chair that had long been abandoned once her and Cisco got replacements. But when she sits down in the worn-in cushions, she sighs in content, wondering why she ever got rid of the chair in the first place.

Caitlin settles into the back of the chair, letting her shoulders slump and her head fall back against the side. It’s as if sitting down has let her fall into relaxation, as if it pulled the unwanted adrenaline right out of her. Now she’s only left feeling tired, and craving her apartment and comfy couch waiting for her. Her eyes flutter shut, but moments later a knock comes at the door, which means Caitlin has to open her eyes again.

She looks up just in time to watch Iris enter the room slowly, hesitant as if she’s concerned she’s going to upset Caitlin. It almost makes Caitlin feel guilty, so she gives Iris a small smile in response. Something in her smile must look weak, because Iris is looking at her sympathetically as she shuts the door tightly.

“Need a friend?” Iris questions, lingering by the door just in case Caitlin says no. Just by the tone in her voice, Caitlin knows that she actually has a choice. Iris wouldn’t hold it against her whether she says yes or no. Caitlin has always appreciated Iris.

Caitlin gives a short nod. “Sure.” She answers as she grabs the handle on the other roller chair. She pulls it up beside her and Iris is already walking forward to claim the empty chair.

Iris swipes her hands underneath her waist, collecting her skirt for when she sits down. The second her rear end lands in the cushions, her face crosses with surprise, followed by a pleased smile. “Okay, this has to be one of the comfiest chairs I’ve ever sat in.”

Caitlin groans in agreement, placing one hand over her eyes as she chuckles. “I knew me and Cisco made a mistake getting rid of these chairs.”

Iris is smiling in return, glad that she’s managed to at least get Caitlin grinning, let alone chuckling. Her manicured hand reaches out. Landing on Caitlin’s forearm to give a reassuring squeeze. “Hey… these last few hours have been stressful. I want you to know I’m here for you.”

Caitlin sighs softly, hesitant to accept Iris’s words. Regardless, she places her hand on top of Iris’s and squeezes to let her know she appreciates the gesture nonetheless. “It’s been stressful everyone.”

“Oh, that’s not going to work.” Iris teases, shaking her head with a mock scowl. “Sure. Everyone went through the last few hours together. But there’s no reason to disregard your own feelings. Everyone handles things differently. I mean, look at us. We willingly go and get manicures done, right?”

Caitlin nods, a little unsure where Iris is taking this.

“Cisco will complain for _hours_ about the pain of a manicure, yet we endure it.” Iris shrugs, her red lips turning into a softer smile.

That gets a healthy laugh out of Caitlin, but when her laughter dies off Caitlin feels like she could cry. It must be the after effects of the adrenaline she suffered through. Her body just isn’t sure how to process things any longer and the only answer it’s coming up with is to cry. But she holds it back by closing her eyes and breathing in through her nose.

Iris’s hand grips onto her arm tighter, grounding Caitlin. She doesn’t say anything. She doesn’t need to. She’s there. And that’s what matters.

They sit like that. Silent. Just the sound of their breathing filling the room.

Caitlin hasn’t felt as relaxed as she does with Iris as she has in ages. Something about the other’s presence… Caitlin will have to make sure to always stay on Iris’s good side. She cannot lose a good thing like Iris. Beautiful, smiling and brilliant Iris… with her warm touch and ability to always say the right thing. The way she’s always there for Caitlin, in a way that seems more intimate than Cisco has been for her. Cisco’s her best friend, sure, she’d go as far to say Cisco’s a brother to her… but Iris is so much more.

Caitlin’s realization is dawning further on her as her eyes flutter open, finding Iris’s pleasant smile still on her face. Her brown eyes are soft and warm, like melted dark chocolate. Her lips are a bold yet elegant red… and Caitlin’s staring at Iris’s lips now and Iris has certainly noticed because her smile falls into shock.

She blinks, her thick eyelashes ghosting across her cheek. Caitlin’s forced to look back up now. Too face those eyes again. She meets Iris’s gaze, against her own will. Something just tells her she _has_ to look at Iris right now. But instead of an awkward silence like Caitlin was expecting, Iris’s eyes dart between Caitlin’s before she makes the decision to lean forward and close the distance between them.

Iris kisses with the passion she has when she’s trying to uncover a story. Something stirs in Caitlin at the thought of Iris wanting to know more about her, trying to figure out her quirks, and the way she likes to be kissed. Maybe she’s learning to build her knowledge, too. Maybe Iris is remembering the way that Caitlin’s lips feel, or the feeling of their noses slotted together.

Iris pulls back, leaving Caitlin with wider eyes and parted lips. Caitlin doesn’t usually fumble around her words like Cisco, which is certainly endearing. Instead, she’s stunned into silence as Iris grins at her, content. And she stuns Caitlin even further when she brings her hand up to tuck a piece of Caitlin’s auburn hair behind her ear.

_Was that the last time Caitlin and Iris kissed? Most certainly not. The two continued this romance. A romance full of spending nights together, talking about their childhoods, loving everything they unearthed about one another… Neither thought of the relationship as secret, yet they hadn’t told a single soul._

_Cisco didn’t know. Barry didn’t know. Joe didn’t know._

_Just them. Something the two appreciated. It was nice that they didn’t have to worry about anyone else. They were in their own world, together._

_They were certainly dating. The term girlfriend was something they used often. Despite their confidence in the relationship, they still didn’t feel the need to voice it._

_But sometimes Cisco has a bout of intuition that leads him towards the answer_.

After three months of Iris and Caitlin’s first kiss, things were _good_. Caitlin would go so far to say _great_. Iris is an amazing girlfriend; Caitlin couldn’t have imagined she’d be so lucky in a million years. Not to mention she hadn’t pictured herself falling in love with a woman before. Yet here she is, proving herself wrong with every minute that goes by.

Caitlin Snow is in love with Iris West and it feels so right.

Like most days, they’re sitting in the cortex as they talk back and forth. Iris has her feet kicked up on Caitlin’s lap, painted toe nails revealed as she leans back in the cushy chair. Her curls fall around her shoulder, framing her face to only brighten her smile as she watches Caitlin across from her.

Caitlin wraps one hand around Iris’s ankle, smiling back.

The two say nothing, enjoying the silence far too much. They make faces at each other every now and then. Iris starts with sticking her tongue out, just a small point with wiggled brows. Caitlin laughs at the face before scrunching her eyes and doing an equally as silly face.

The two end up laughing as the time goes on, trying to out do each other with their ridiculous faces. Usually, they would go unnoticed. Cisco’s always busy doing something, whether he’s off with Barry or arguing with Harry. But both of the men are out of the office for the day, leaving Cisco on his own.

Cisco stands up from his stool when he hears the ruckus, walking out of his work room to head further into the cortex at the sound of giggles. He’s got his cell phone pressed to his ear as he ventures closer, a brow lifting as Iris and Caitlin turn to look at him.

“Hi Cisco,” Caitlin giggles out as he pads closer.

Cisco turns his phone away from his mouth as he looks between the two. “What’s got you two so giddy?”

Iris rolls her eyes at him but she laughs. “Just a good day, Cisco. Learn to enjoy it.”

Cisco scoffs at that, rolling his eyes at the two, but his phone call is going no where so pulls the phone away from his ear and hangs up. He pockets the phone as he turns to look back at the two. “Yeah, right. You two are laughing like some old love birds…” Cisco’s voice trails off as his words register in his own ears.

Caitlin recognizes that face of his. The way his lively brown eyes slow down, and the way they flit from her to Iris in a few seconds. He’s processing, as if his mind is going over the last three months meticulously. Caitlin _knows_ that’s exactly what he’s doing. And when things start to make sense, his eyes grow wide, his brows almost meet his hairline, and his mouth opens in a large, excited ‘O’.

“No _way_!” Cisco exclaims, now pointing between the two with vast amazement. “How did you – when did you – the _secrecy_.” He finally settles, placing a hand over his heart in betrayal.

Caitlin and Iris share one look, and suddenly Caitlin’s heart is racing. She’s not sure why, maybe it’s because if Cisco knows then things are going to change. There won’t be just Iris and Caitlin. It’ll be everyone and Caitlin and Iris, and Caitlin’s not sure she’s ready to lose their privacy.

But Iris is smiling smoothly at Caitlin, putting her at ease almost instantly. Caitlin settles back into her chair as Iris’s calm voice starts to work through the cortex.

“We weren’t keeping things secret. We just didn’t make things very public. And it doesn’t help that you’re not observant.” Iris explains with a fond smile as Cisco gasps again.

There’s a sudden flash and Barry’s standing at the entrance of the room, his eyes flitting between everyone curiously. His eyes land on Cisco and he notices the other’s affronted state, so he bites back a smirk as he walks in further. “Why does Cisco look like he’s just been insulted?”

Iris leans her head back over her chair so she can look at Barry. She’s grinning playfully as she informs him of their conversation. “We said Cisco’s not very observant because he just found out Caitlin and I are dating.”

“Oh,” Barry comments, then he’s smiling widely as he shakes his head. Clearly he’s amused as he walks into the room, closer to Cisco.

“Wait, you mean to tell me you’ve known about them?” Cisco gasps again, this time feeling even more betrayed that Barry of all people never would’ve told him.

“Of course I did.” Barry shrugs nonchalantly as he comes to Cisco’s side, bumping his shoulder against the other’s. “I did grow up with Iris after all, so I can read her pretty well. And I can read you pretty well and I’m sorry to say but Iris is write. You’re not very observant.”

The two start to bicker back and forth as Cisco tries to defend himself and his observation skills, but Caitlin’s still recovering from her minor heart attack. She’s glad that Cisco found out this way, and she’s glad she knows that Barry knows about her an Iris as well. But that doesn’t mean it wasn’t nerve wracking.

Caitlin thinks she might miss having some privacy with Iris, might miss having a small thing just between them, but she’s feeling warm now that her friends know. Her head swivels in Iris’s direction, finding Iris already looking back at her with a fond smile.

Caitlin leans forward, pressing a kiss to Iris’s cheek.

Yeah, okay. Maybe she won’t miss their secret that much after all.


End file.
